Cloth placing apparatus



y 9 1950 s. GANiS CLOTH PLACING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1945 May 9, 11950 5. GANIS CLOTH PLACING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED CLUTH PLACING APPARATUS Samuel Ganis, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Smoler Bros, Inc., Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Application December 8, 1945, Serial No. 633,806

13 Claims.

This invention relates to cloth placing apparatus and is particularly useful in the placing or laying of cloth strips upon a table or other surface with the strips accurately aligned along one edge thereof. The invention will be found to have a number of other uses.

An object of the invention is to provide mechanism forlaying cloth strips upon a cloth receiving surface with at least one edge of the cloth lying in a straight longitudinal line. A further object is to provide means for placing or laying cloth in superposed strips upon a surface while maintaining the cloth strips along one edge thereof in vertically aligned relation. A further object is to provide apparatus for carrying and laying cloth together with means for rotating the carrying means to reverse the direction of placement when desired. Yet another object is to provide traveling means for carrying a roll of cloth and for guiding the delivery of cloth therefrom to a cloth receiving surface, while at the same time providing means for applying resistance to the rotation of the cloth roll. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in preferred embodiments, by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a broken front view in elevation of apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a broken side view in elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a broken detail perspective view of control apparatus engaging one edge of the cloth and employed for maintaining the edge in a straight longitudinal line upon the table; Fig. 4., a plan sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a detail sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. l; Fig. 6, a broken vertical sectional view of a modified form of support for suspending the cloth carrying means employed, and Fig. '7, an enlarged sectional detail view of limit switches shown in Fig. 3.

In the illustration given, A designates the top portion of a table or other cloth receiving surface; B represents a traveling crane or frame member carried by tracks upon the table A; and v C, a cloth carrying carriage suspended from member B.

The structure A may be a table, floor, platform or any other suitable cloth receiving surface. The floor A is provided with an angle iron track Ill on one side and an angle iron track I! on the other side.

The angle iron track II i 65 however, extended to a higher elevation and is provided at its top with teeth l2 providing a rack.

The traveling crane or frame member B may be of any suitable form or construction. In the illustration given best in Figs. 1 and 2, the frame member B is equipped on each side with a pair of standards l3 and M each of which carries wheels I5 at its lower end for engagement with the track members Ill or II. The legs I3 and M are connected at their top by an integral crossbeam 16 which centrally carries standards I! and I8. The central standards 11 and I8 are connected at their top by a bridge member l9 which is employed to support the carriage structure C.

The traveling carriage C is supported upon beam l 9 of the member B for rotation when desired. As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the member 0 is equipped with an angle iron frame member 20 in the shape of an inverted U. A large bolt 2! extends centrally through the top horizontal flange of the member 20 and is equipped with a head 22 which bears against such flange. The top portion of bolt 2| is threaded to receive the nuts 23 and 24. The bolt extends through a spacer member 25 resting upon the horizontal flange of the frame member 20, through the horizontal flange of the angle iron beam l9, through the block 26 resting upon the horizontal flange of the member l9, through the cap plate 21 and washer 28. Ball detents 29 urged by springs as may be employed for engaging recesses in the spacer member 25, which is welded to the member 20 and thus yieldably lock the member 20 in either one of its two extreme positions. Antifriction bearings 3| may be employed as illustrated.

The angle iron member 20 is provided with a plate 32 Welded to one side of the member 20, as shown best in Fig. 4, and the plate 32 is provided with downwardly-extending notches 33 adapted to receive the shaft 34 of roll 35. The bolt 2| extends through plate 32 which, in effect, provides an extension of the horizontal flange of the frame member 22. Fixed to one end of the shaft 34 is a brake wheel 36 adapted to be engaged by a shoe 3? of the solenoid operated plunger 38. The plunger and solenoid are positioned to give the desired amount of braking pressure upon the roll shaft 34. Mounted in the lower portion of the flange portion 32 of the frame member 20 is the shaft 39 of the idler roller 40. Also mounted within the lower portion of the member 32 is the driven shaft 4| which carries the driven roller 42. The shaft 4| carries at each of its outer ends gear member 43 which meshes with a large driving gear 44.

The driving gear 44 may be driven by any suitable means. In the illustration given, the driving gea d lmeshes on its outer side with the rack 2 for driving the structure B and meshes at the same time on its inner side with the driven gear as fixed to shaft 4!.

The motor employed for driving gear 44 is carried by the member B on one side thereof. As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the legs I3 and I4 of B are connected on one side by the crossbeams 45 and the motor structure 2-6 is supported thereon. The motor drives through reduction gears, not shown but housed within the structure 4?, the large gear 44.

Mounted upon the shaft 4!, as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, is a. large plate 48 which provides a bearing at its lower end for a driven shaft The shaft 49 carries the feed roller 56. A second plate also receives the shaft 49 and carries the shaft 52 of an idler roller 53.

Any suitable means may be employed for adjusting the position of the idler roller 53 so as to cause it to maintain the cloth against the feed roller 58. In the illustration given, the late 5! is free to pivot about shaft 49 and means are provided for maintaining the plate 5! at any desired adjusted angle. A link member 56 is connected by pin 55 to one end of the plate 51 and a shaft 56, which is fixed to plate 32, extends through an arcuate slot 5'! of plate 48. The link St is clamped rigidly against plate 13 by the nut member 58 which engages the threaded end of shaft 56. swung to any desired angle upon the loosening of nut 58 and then clamped rigidly in position upon the tightening of nut 53 so as to secure the member 55 firmly in position. Clamping collars 59 By this means, the plate 5! ma be :7.-

and (it are provided between the nut 58 and the 1 1 members G8 and 54.

In order to drive the shaft 49, a pulley 6! is fixed to shaft 39 and shaft ll is provided with a similar pulley 82. The two pulleys are connected by belt 63.

In the structure shown, the shaft .59 of driving roller 5%! is mounted not only for rotation but for endwise movement, and the purpose of the endwise movement is to provide a control which will cause the cloth being fed to be laid always along a true or straight longitudinal line. In order to effect longitudinal movement of shaft 49, I provide each end of the shaft with a fine threaded portion 66 and 55, one of the threaded sections being a left-handed thread and the other being a right-handed thread. Secured upon the member 48 directly above the threaded portion es and 65 is a bracket 66 securing a solenoid (5?. A pin 58 carried by the solenoid and which normally rests above the threaded portion 65 is adapted to be moved downwardly upon actuation of the solenoid to engage the fine threading of shaft #59, thus providing a fixed abutment which will cause the shaft 49 to move longitudinally in one direction. The pin 63 engaging the threaded portion 55 will cause the shaft 49 to move in one direction while the pin 68 engaging the threaded portion 54 will cause the shaft as to move in the opposite direction. The rotation of the shaft 69 causes the threaded portion of the shaft contacted by either of the pins to function as a cam and thus produce longitudinal movement of the shaft.

To control the solenoids 67, any suitable apparatus may be employed which will engage the edge of the cloth and make the desired contacts when the cloth moves away from its proper line. In the illustration given, I provide a pair of limit switches 69 and 16, as shown in general detail in Fig. 3 and in greater detail in Fig. '7. Each of the switches is equipped with inwardly-extending contact plungers If and '12. The plungers engage a blade '13 pivotally mounted at M. The pungers i2 and ii are urged inwardly by means of the springs 'iSa, one of the springs being slightly stronger than the other so that the blade 13 is urged toward the cloth and such excess pressure being counterbalanced by the edge of the cloth. The blade is illustrated in Fig. 7

- as lying in the position where it engages the cloth and the pressure of the cloth counterbalances the excess spring pressure on one side of the blade. This pressure is normally counterbalanced by the edge '55 of the cloth. If the cloth should swing inwardly, the bias of the member causes it to follow the cloth and the limit switch 69 is actuated to set in operation one of the solenoids. The solenoid actuated brings its point ES into engagement with one of the hreaded portions on shaft 49 and causes shaft to move instantly a slight distance from the left, thus bringing the edge of the cloth against the member "52!. The switch 69 is thus again disconnected and movement of shaft 5:) ceases. Should the edge '15 of the cloth move outwardly, the blade '53 is moved against plunger 12 and the switch 15 closes the circuit in which the other solenoid is placed and the point 68 of that solenoid engages the opposite threaded end of member to shift it in the opposite direction. As the blade 13 returns to its central position, switch is is opened and the longitudinal movement of shaft 49 ceases.

he bracket member 76, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, is employed to support the limit switches 69 and IS and the blade 14 is pivotally mounted thereon.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, a plurality of members B may be employed for movement upon the single track and upon the rack member 12 for carryin successive rolls of cloth so that upon a single reciprocation of the device B across the table A, a plurality of strips of cloth may be laid upon the table, as i icated best in r'g. l and by the numerals 'l'l, E3, 79, and 8!.

In the operation of the apparatus, a roll of cloth 35 is placed upon the free end of the shaft 34 and the free end of the shaft is swung into the notch 33, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The cloth 1'! then passes downwardly between the idler roller 48 and the driven roller 42 and thence downwardly over the driven roller 5!} and under the idler roller 53. The cloth strip E! is then caused to lie upon the table A or as the topmost layer of the strips upon. table A. If the cloth strip 1'! is not pressed with sufiicient firmness against the feed roller 5?), the nut may be adjusted to swing the plate 5! to the desired angle and then the nut 58 may be secured in position to maintain the parts as so adjusted. The motor 45 drives through the reduction gears housed in structure 41 the large or double gear e4, so that the entire structure B travels upon the rack l2. Simultaneously, the inner portion of gear 44 meshes with the driven gear 43 and thus drives the feed roll 42. Further, by means of belt 63, the shaft 49 is likewise driven and the feed roller 50, with its idler roller 53 causes the cloth to lie evenly upon the layers of cloth 76 resting upon table A.

It is of the utmost importance that the layers of cloth deposited upon table A be vertically aligned at least along one edge. If a large number of layers of cloth are thus accurately aligned along one edge, the cutter can accurately form the desired patterns starting with the aligned edges. In order to obtain such alignment, the limit switches $9 and it, together with the interposed blade 13 follow each slight variation of the cloth edge 15 and through the actuation of v.

the solenoid 51 cause the edge E5 to be brought back quickly to the desired line. If the cloth edge moves in one direction, one of the switches is actuated to cause the solenoid connected therewith to move its point 68 into engagement with a threaded end of shaft 49, thus moving the roll 50 edgewise and bringing the cloth edge back to its central position. If the cloth edge moves in the opposite direction, the other switch is closed so as to cause the solenoid in circuit therewith to bring its point 68 into engagement with the threaded end of shaft 39 to move roll 50 in the opposite direction. By this means, the edge '55 is maintained along a straight longitudinal line.

At the end of the travel of member B, it may be desired to feed the cloth back along the same line and to accomplish this, the carriage C is simply rotated upon the swivel bolt 21 so as to disengage the gear 43 on one side of the carriage and to bring the gear 43 on the opposite side thereof into engagement with the large gear 44. Since the gears are spaced to one side of the large gear 44, it will be noted that the rotation of the carriage C causes the gears 63 to mesh evenly with gear 44 and on opposite sides thereof depending upon the rotation of member C. Thus gear 44 will drive either of the gears 43 and thus bring about a feeding operation which is the same irrespective of the direction of movement of the member B.

The roll is provided with solenoid means for braking the shaft 3 2 so that the feed will not be too great or too little.

If desired, means may be provided for stop ping the motor whenever the cloth strip ends, tears, or ceases to exert any pressure upon the member 13. In this instance, when the edge 75 no longer is present, the member 13 swings toward the limit switch 69 and this causes the shaft 49 to be moved to the left where it engages the contact arm at and brings it into engagement with contact ti in the motor circuit. The contact 8?- leads to suitable solenoid or relay which breaks the circuit in which motor 45 is connected. If desired, another spring arm '88 may be employed on the opposite sideto make a connection with the contact 85, likewise leading to a solenoid for breaking the motor circuit. Thus, movement of the shaft 49 to either extreme position will result in stopping the motor. Thus when the edge of the cloth is entirely missing, the engagement of one of the pins with the threaded portion of shaft 43 causes the shaft to move laterally to one extreme of its movement so as to engage the contact 8% or 88 and thereby shut off the flowv of current to the machine.

While the cloth herein has been described in reference to a roll 35, it will be understood that, if desired, the cloth may be served in folded packs and any suitable container may be provided for supporting the cloth thus folded, so that it may be fed through the rollers as heretofore described. It will be obvious that modifications in the structure may be readily made to provide for the serving of cloth folded in difierent arrangements.

In the use of the term cloth herein and in.

the appended claims, I intend to include all flexible material, whether formed of cotton, wool or other material commonly used in fabrics or whether formed of mineral, plastic or other material capable of being handled herein, and I desire, therefore, that the term cloth be considered in this broad sense.

While in the illustration given, I have shown the traveling member supported upon tracks, it will be understood that the support may be accomplished in a variety of ways. In the modification shown in Fig. 6, I provide an I-beam 82 which is suspended from an overhead beam (not shown) and the frame member B has suspension members 88 and 84 equipped with wheels 85 which engage the lower flanges of the I-beam. The carriage member C is supported by a swivel bolt 86 upon the member B While in the foregoing description, I have set forth the structure in considerable detail as illustrating one mode of employing the invention, it will be understood that such details may be modified widely by those skilled in the art with out departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In cloth placing apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, means for feeding a roll of cloth above said surface, a roller mounted for rotational and endwise movement and adapted to feed cloth from said cloth feeding means onto said surface, means for pressing the cloth against said roller, means for moving said roller in an endwise direction, and control means engaging one edge of the cloth being placed and actuating said roller moving means to maintain said edge on a predetermined line along said surface, said roller moving means comprising a solenoid operated member engaging a threaded end of said roller.

2. In cloth placing apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, means for moving a roll of cloth above said surface, a roller mounted for rotational and endwise movement and adapted to feed. cloth from said roll onto said surface, means for pressing the cloth against said roller, means for moving said roller in an endwise direction, and control means engaging one edge of the cloth being placed and actuating said roller moving means to maintain said edge on a predetermined line along said surface, said control means comprising microswitch means equipped with a member following the edge of the cloth.

3. In cloth placing apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, means for moving 'a roll of cloth above said surface, a'roller mounted for rota tional and endwise movement and adapted to feed cloth from said roll onto said surface, means; for pressing the cloth against said roller, means for moving said roller in an endwise direction,- and control means engaging one edge of the cloth being placed and actuating said roller moving means to maintain said edge on a predetermined line along said surface, said control means com prising limit switch members equipped with means engaging one edge of the cloth and said roller moving means comprising solenoid operated members adapted to engage threaded endsv of said roller. l

. 4. In cloth layin apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, means for supporting a roll of cloth above said surface, means for moving said cloth supporting means along said surface, a roller mounted for rotational and endwise movement and adapted to feed cloth from said roll onto said surface, means for pressing the cloth against said roller, and means engaging one edge of said cloth and responsive thereto for moving said roller in an endwise direction to maintain an edge of said cloth along a predetermined longitudinal line.

5. In cloth laying apparatus, means for moving a roll of cloth above a cloth receiving surface, a roller for feeding cloth from said roll upon said surface, said roller being mounted for rotation and for movement transversely of said surface, electrically operated means for moving said roller transversely of said surface and in either direction, and means engaging an edge of the cloth and responsive to pressure by said edge for controlling said electrically operated means and thereby maintaining said cloth in a substantially straight longitudinal line.

6. In cloth laying apparatus, means for rotatably supporting a roll of cloth, means for moving said last mentioned means above a cloth receiving surface, means for applying resistance to the rotation of said roll of cloth, roller means for feeding cloth from said roll upon said surface, said roller being mounted for rotation and endwise movement, and control means engaging an edge of said cloth for actuating said roller in an endwise direction so that said cloth is fed with one edge thereof lying in a straight longitudinal line along said surface.

7. In cloth laying apparatus, means for supporting a roll of cloth above a cloth receiving surface, track means on said surface, a traveling frame member mounted for self-propelling movement upon said track and supporting said first mentioned means, roller means for feeding cloth from said roll as it is propelled across said surface so that said cloth lies upon said surface, said roller being mounted for rotation in endwise movement and control means engaging an edge of said cloth for actuating said feeding means so that said cloth is fed with one edge thereof lying in straight longitudinal line along said surface.

8. In cloth laying apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, a traveling member, means for supporting said traveling member for movement across said surface, a carriage suspended from said traveling member, and adapted to carry a roll of cloth, roller means for feeding cloth from said carriage upon said surface, said roller being mounted for rotation and endwise movement, and electric means engaging an edge of said cloth for controlling the endwise movement of said roller to bring one edge of the cloth along a predetermined straight line.

9. In cloth placing apparatus, a traveling frame member mounted for movement over a cloth receiving surface, a motor carried by said frame, a gear driven by said motor, a carriage member pivotally mounted on said frame said carriage being adapted to support a roll of cloth, and a driven roller extending through said carriage and equipped with a gear on either end, said gears being adapted to engage said motor driven gear at opposite sides thereof when said carriage is swung to its two extremes of movement, said roller being adapted to be rotated to feed the cloth from the roll.

10. In cloth placing apparatus, a traveling frame member mounted for longitudinal movement across a cloth receiving surface, a motor carried by said frame, a rack carried by said cloth receiving surface, a gear driven by said motor and engaging said rack, said gear extending beyond said rack, a carriage member supported on said frame member, said carriage being adapted to support a roll of cloth, and a driven roller carried by said carriage member, said roller being equipped with a gear meshing with said first mentioned gear, said roller being adapted to be rotated to feed the cloth from the roll.

11. In cloth placing apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, a track thereon, a rack also carried by said cloth receiving surface, a traveling frame member mounted on said track, a motor carried by said frame member, a gear driven by said motor and engaging said rack, said gear also extending beyond said rack, a carriage member pivotally supported on said frame member, a driven roller extending through said carriage and having a gear at either end thereof, said carriage being adapted to support a roll of cloth, each of said gears being adapted to mesh with a portion of said first mentioned gear when said carriage is moved to either extreme of its rotation to reverse its position, and means including said driven roller for feeding cloth from said roll onto said surface whereby upon the reversing of said carriage said driven roller means will feed said cloth in either direction.

12. In cloth placing apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, means for feeding cloth above said surface, a roller mounted for rotational and endwise movement above said surface and adapted to feed cloth from said cloth feeding means onto said surface, means for pressing the cloth against said roller, means for moving said roller in an endwise direction, and means actuated by said roller when moved to one extreme endwise position to stop said cloth feeding means.

13. In cloth placing apparatus, a cloth receiving surface, means for moving a roll of cloth above said surface, a roller mounted for rotational and endwise movement and adapted to feed cloth from said roll onto said surface, means for pressing the cloth against said roller, means for moving said roller in an endwise direction, and control means including an element engaging an edge of said cloth and actuating said roller-moving means to maintain said edge on a predetermined line along said surface, and means cooperating with said last-mentioned means for stopping the rotation of said roller when the end of the cloth piece is reached.

SAMUEL GANIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

